Astoria, OR – According to the state officials, warm water events have reduced kelp abundance and food for red abalone.
Surveys in the Brookings area found an 82 percent reduction in kelp beds between 2010-2022.
When sea stars populations crashed due to wasting disease, purple urchins proliferated, further reducing food for red abalone.
Oregon’s red abalones are part of a regional population and are not self-sustaining, relying on dispersal from other areas. Red abalone have also declined sharply in California where the fishery is also closed.
The recreational fishery for abalone was suspended for consecutive three-year periods in 2018 and 2021. It is now closed with no sunset date.
Commissioners also heard an informational briefing on the recently completed Conservation and Fishery Management Plan (CFMP) for red abalone.
